'All Belong To One Household'

Images used courtesy of NASA. Use does not imply endorsement. Excerpt © BIC.

“When we review history from the beginning down to the present day, we find that strife and warfare have prevailed throughout the human world. Wars — religious, racial or political — have arisen from human ignorance, misunderstanding and lack of education,” stated ~ `Abdu’l-Bahá at a meeting of the International Peace Forum at Grace Methodist Church at West 104th St. in New York City on May 12, 1912*. “We will first consider religious strife and conflict.

“It is evident that the divine Prophets have appeared in the world to establish love and agreement among mankind. … {I}n this day the divine teachings must be sought, for they are the remedies for the present conditions of the world of humanity. The purpose of a remedy is to heal and cure. If it be productive of worse symptoms, its absence or discontinuance is preferable.

“… {The establishment} of the divine religions is for peace, not for war and the shedding of blood. Inasmuch as all are founded upon one reality which is love and unity, the wars and dissensions which have characterized the history of religion have been due to imitations and superstitions which arise afterward. Religion is reality, and reality is one. The fundamentals of the religion of God are, therefore, one in reality. There is neither difference nor change in the fundamentals. Variance is caused by blind imitations, prejudices and adherence to forms which appear later; and inasmuch as these differ, discord and strife result. If the religions of the world would forsake these causes of difficulty and seek the fundamentals, all would agree, and strife and dissension would pass away; for religion and reality are one and not multiple.

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“… {H}umanity is one kind, one race and progeny, inhabiting the same globe. In the creative plan there is no racial distinction and separation such as Frenchman, Englishman, American, German, Italian or Spaniard; all belong to one household. These boundaries and distinctions are human and artificial, not natural and original. All mankind are the fruits of one tree, flowers of the same garden, waves of one sea  …

“This earth is one household and the native land of all humanity; therefore, the human race should ignore distinctions and boundaries which are artificial and conducive to disagreement and hostility. … Man is endowed with powers to investigate reality, and the reality is that humanity is one in kind and equal in the creative plan. Therefore, false distinctions of race and native land, which are factors and causes of warfare, must be abandoned.”

*From the book titled “The Promulgation of Universal Peace.” © Bahá’í International Community.